Phonograph appliance



Feb. 12 1 1924. 1,483573 F. DARROW PHONOGRAPH APPLIANCE Filed Jan. 10 1921 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 12, 1924.

FRED DARROW, OF CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO.

PHONOGRAPH APPLIANCE.

Application filed January 10, 1921. Serial No. 436,200.

- To all whom it may concern."

" proved appliance especially adapted for attachment to the well known Edison phonograph.

In phonographs of the above named type, the horn swings on a vertical axis, the small end of the horn being brought above the record support to provide a tone arm to which the sound producing diaphragm isrigidly attached. On this type of phono graph, all records are usually of the same diameter and the spiral groove in which the playing jewel travels begins in spaced relation to the peripheral edgeof the rec- 0rd.

In operation, it is exceedingly difficult to properly position the tone arm with the playing jewel at the beginning of the spiral groove and ,as a result the jewel is ordinarily let down upon the blank marginal space at the outer edge of the record and a discordant, scraping sound is produced, while the jewel is slowly carried to. the spiral groove. 1

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a simple, practical device which may be economically manufactured and which may be quickly and easily attached to a phonograph and when so attached will provide regulatable means whereby the tone arm may be initially positioned with uniform accuracy at the beginning of the spiral groove and which will provide means whereby the playing jewel will be brought into immediate contact with the indentations in the bottom of the groove.

A further object is to provide an appliance which may be detachably secured to a phonograph without removing any of its parts and without marring or, in any way altering or changing any part of the phonograph. I

vTheabove and additional objects are ac complished by the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter describedand illustrated in the accompanying drawing, it being understood that the invention is capable of various adaptations and that changes, variations and modifications may be made or substitutions resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings which form a part hereof and in which similar numerals of reference have been employed throughout the several views to denote the same or similar partsz-- Figure 1 is a perspective View of the top portion of a phonograph with the revolving table removed and illustrating my improved appliance positioned thereon.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of my new and improved appliance.

Figure 8 is a side view of a portion of same showing the manner of attaching the device to a transverse rib on the top of the motor frame.

Figure 4:is a sideview somewhat in diagram and showing portions in vertical sections to more clearly illustrate the invention and the manner of applying the. same to a phonograph. 1

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the segment gear of a phonograph and showing a portion of the operating screw in engagement therewith, and,

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken as indicated by the line 66 of Figure 5 showing the end of my improved stop and also showing by dotted lines the position of said arm in relation to said stop when the phonograph is in operation.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, my improved appliance comprises a base plate 5 having one end thereof turned down to provide a depending ear 6 and having a stuck-out portion 7 depending therefrom in spaced parallel relation to the ear 6. The ear 6 is provided with a threaded bore into which is threadedthe set screw 8 so as to form in conjunction with the down turned portion 7 "a clamp wherebythe plate may be detachably secured to the top of the phonograph motorframe as hereinafter set forth. A flat lever, 9 is pivotally secured to the plate 5-by means of the pivot .10 so as to be rotatable on a vertical axis. The lever 9 has a straight side 11 and the handle end of said lever is indicated by thenumeral12. The lever 9 is ,provided with two straps which project 'laterally in spaced relation from the straight side 11 of said handle end 12 and are bent back in the form of 1 cylinder 13 is at the extreme end of the handle portion 12 and is provided with a smooth bore. The cylindrical portion 14 is spaced inwardly from the end 12 with its bore in axial alinement with the bore in the cyhndrical portion 13. The bore in the cylindrical portion 14 is provided with a screw thread adapted to operatively receive the screw threads 16 on the adjusting shaft 15 which is mounted in the bores in the cylindrical portions 13 and 14. The outer end of theshaft 15 is provided with a suitable operating head 17. The plate 5 is provided with an ear 18 which is upturned from one edge thereof at a point in alinement with the axis of the bores in the portions 13 and 14, so as to be engaged by the inner projecting end of the shaft 15 for the purpose of adjusting the lever portion 9 relative to the plate 5. A flat spring 19 is suitably secured to the bottom face of the lever portion 9 so as to extend under the plate 5 and bear thereagainst for the purpose of holding it closely in contact with the said plate 5 to provide a frictional engagement which tends to resist the free movement of the lever 9 relative to the plate The other end of the lever 9 is turned down at a right angle to itself to provide a depending portion 20 and each end of the depending portion 20 is turned outwardly at a right angle thereto to provide the ears 21 and 22 which project from said depending portion 20 in parallel spaced relation to each other. The ears 21 and 22 are provided with alined pores which are positioned therein to receive the transverse pin 23. The numeral 24 is used to denote a stop which is hinged between the ears 21 and 22 by means of the pin 23 so as to be capable of limited rotary movement. A portion 25 of the stop 24 projects upwardly from the hinged end of the stop and is received in the slot 26 in the member 27 which is adjustably secured to the upper face of the lever 9 by means of the screws 28 which. are positioned through slots in. said members 27 and secured in suitable threaded bores in the lever 9. The stop 24 projects outwardly and downwardlyfrom its hinged end and terminates in a portion 29 which is bent at an angle thereto and projects laterally therefrom. The ear22 is provided at its upper edge with a portion. 30 which is turned outwardly therefrom with its upper face in the same plane with the upper face of the lever 9. A small lever 31 is pivotally secured to the portion 30. by means of the pin 32. One end of the small lever 31 projects inwardly and contacts with the outer face of the upwardly projecting portion of the stop 24.

I The other end of the small lever 31 com prises a lug-like portion which projects outwardly therefrom so as to contact with the arm 34. The inner end of the arm 34 is adjustably secured to the plate 5 by means of the pivot 35 and the screw 36 which extends through the slot 37 and is operatively secured in a threaded bore in said plate 5.

To install my improved device on a phonograph, the turn table 38 is removed and the device is placed on the top 40 of the motor frame with the depending portions 6 and 7 receiving the rib 39 therebetween and with the handle end 12 of the plate 5 toward the rear of the phonograph. The set screw 8 is then operated to clamp the plate 5 firmly to the rib 39. In this position the stop 24 will project through the opening 41 so that its laterally projecting portion 29 will contact with the arm of the segment gear 42, when the playing jewel is in an upward position as clearly shown in Figure 6. hen the jewel is lowered to a playing position the segment gear 42 will occupy the dotted line position shown in Figure 6 in which position the gear 42 is below the stop 29 and it is free to travel without hindrance from said stop.

With the device thus detachably secured to the motor frame top 40 and the'turn table 38 in position, the adjusting rod15 will project beyond therear edge of the turn table and beyond the top 40 of the motor frame so that the head 17 is conveniently presented to regulate the stop 24. The'stop may be regulated laterally and may be raised or lowered by a lateral movement of the rod 15 as a movement of the lever 9 on the pin 10 will cause the small lever 31 to strike the stop 34, causing the small lever 31 to move the part 25, thus raising the portion 29 out of the path of the gear 42. Tt will be noted that the end 29 of the. sto 9. may be adjusted vertically by a longitudinal movement of the member 28 and the stop end 29 may be also adjusted laterally by operation of the adjusting rod 15 which when forced against the lug 18 will move the lever 9 relative to the plate 5. The end 29 of the stop 24 is roimded on one edge so that the arm when given a clockwise movement will cause the segment gear 42 to contact with the rounded side of the stop 24 and cause the same to be raised. It will thus be seen that the stop end 29 stops the movement of the gear 42 when the tone arm is swung in a contra-clockwise direction and that the arm may be given aclockwise movement without being hindered by said stop.

In operation the shaft 15 is adjusted to cause the gear 42 to contact with the stop end 29 when the playing jewel is directly overthe beginning of the spiral groove at the beginning of the record. The armis then swung in a contra-clockwise direction until it is stopped as above set forth whereupon the jewel is lowered to the record, and the segment gear is lowered to a point be low the stop end 29 into engagement with the screw drive shaft 43 and the phonograph is operated in the usual manner.

If at any time it is desired to remove the end 29 of the stop 24 from the ath of the segment gear 42, it may be quickly and easily accomplished by a lateral movement of the regulating shaft to impart a contraclockwise movement to the flat lever 9 and thus cause the lug 33 to engage the arm 34 which in turn will move the lever 31 against the upturned portion and cause the stop 24 to swing upwardly on its horizontal axis and force the stop end 29 to a position above the ear 42.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2- 1. In a phonograph, in combination, a frame for the working parts thereof, a turn table, a record thereon, a tone arm carrying a playing stylus and a stop, said stop including a base, plate, means to secure said plate against the upper face of the phonograph motor frame and between the said frame and the phonograph turn-table, a lever overlying said plate and pivotally secured thereto, means to regulate the position of said lever relative to said frame and means associated with the forward end of said lever for stopping the playing arm with the playing stylus at the beginning of the groove in said record.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a motor frame, a swinging tone arm carrying a playing jewel, a turn table and a stop, said stop including a base plate, means to secure said plate against the upper face of the phonograph motor frame and between the said frame and the phonograph turn-table, a lever overlying said plate and pivotally secured thereto, means to adjust said lever relative to said plate, a stop pivoted to the inward end of said lever, said stop adapted to limit the swinging movement of the phonograph tone arm to position the playing stylus at the beginning of the groove in a record positioned on said turn-table.

3. In combination with a phonograph of the class described, a plate secured to the upper face of the motor frame and beneath the turntabl on said phonograph, a lever pivotally secured to said plate, a stop pivoted to the forward end of said lever, the said stop depending through an opening in said frame and means to regulate said stop vertically and laterally whereby the step will co-operate with the phonograph mechanism to guide the tone arm toa position in which the playing jewel may be initially placed at the beginning of a groove of a record placed on said turn-table.

4. In a phonograph of the class described, in combination, a motor frame, a playing arm, mechanism to drive said arm and means to engage said mechanism and stop the playing arm in an initial playing position.

5. In a phonograph of the class described, in combination, a motor frame, a turn table, a playing arm mounted to swing in a horizontal plane above said table, said playing arm terminating in a horn, projecting below said table, mechanism to drive said arm, said mechanism including a segment gear and adjustable means detachably secured to the motor frame to engage said gear and stop the playing arm in an initial playing position.

6. In a phonograph, in combination, a motor frame, a motor, a turn table, driving connection between said motor and turn table, a horn pivotally mounted below said motor frame, a segment gear associated with said horn so as to swing therewith; driving connection between said gear and said motor, said horn extending upwardly and terminating in a tone arm position above said table, means to move said horn and arm vertically to an upper or inoperative position, and to a lower or operative position, said horn and arm arranged to swing free when in an inoperative position and means secured to the upper face of said motor frame and beneath said turn table to engage saidgear and stop the arm in an initial playing position, said means including a member protruding below said arm and lying in the path of said gear when the arm is in an inoperative position and a rod projecting rearwardly beyond said table, said rod providing means for regularing said member.

In testimony whereof 'I have hereunto set my hand.

FRED DARROW. 

